The Present Disclosure relates, generally, to a connector, and, more particularly, to connectors able to reliably keep the first terminals of a first connector and the second terminals of a second connector engaged, to reliably maintain an electrical connection between the first terminals and the second terminals, and to reliably keep the first connector and the second connector mated.
Conventional board-to-board connectors are used to electrically connect a pair of parallel circuit boards. Such board-to-board connectors are mounted on the surfaces of the pair of circuit boards facing each other, and then mated to establish an electrical connection. The reinforcing metal fittings have been proposed which are mounted on both ends to function as locking members for keeping the two connectors mated. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,901,218, the content of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate perspective views of the reinforcing metal fittings in a conventional connector. In FIG. 8B, 851 is the first reinforcing metal fitting attached to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the housing of the first connector mounted on a first circuit board (not shown). In FIG. 8A, 951 is the second reinforcing metal fitting attached to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the housing of the second connector mounted on a second circuit board (not shown). The first reinforcing metal fitting 851 is a component integrally formed by stamping and bending a metal sheet, and includes a panel-shaped main body portion 852 extending in the transverse direction of the first connector, a board connecting portion 856 extending from both ends of the main body portion 852 in the longitudinal direction of the first connector and soldered to the first circuit board, a side engaging piece 858 extending upward from the end of each board connecting portion 856, a side engaging recessed portion 858a formed in the surface of each side engaging piece 858, a curved central engaging piece 854 connected to the center of the main body portion 852, and a central engaging edge portion 854a which is the leading edge of the central engaging piece 854. The second reinforcing metal fitting 951 is a component integrally formed by stamping and bending a metal sheet, and includes a panel-shaped main body portion 952 extending in the transverse direction of the second connector, a board connecting portion 956 extending from the lower edges at both ends of the main body portion 952 in the longitudinal direction of the second connector and soldered to the second circuit board, a side engaging piece 958 formed in the shoulder portion on both sides of the main body portion 952, a side engaging protruding portion 958a formed on the side edge of the side engaging piece 958, a curved central engaging piece 954 connected to the center of the main body portion 952, and a central engaging protruding portion 954a formed on the surface of the central engaging piece 954.
When the first connector and the second connector are mated, the side engaging pieces 858 and the central engaging piece 854 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 engage the side engaging pieces 958 and the central engaging piece 954 of the second reinforcing metal fitting 951. More specifically, the side engaging recessed portions 858a and the central engaging edge portion 854a of the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 engage the side engaging protruding portions 958a and the central engaging protruding portion 954a of the second reinforcing metal fitting 951. In this way, the first connector and the second connector are locked and remain mated. The first reinforcing metal fitting 851 or the second reinforcing metal fitting 951 can be on top and mated with the other reinforcing metal fitting. The orientation, in other words, can be the opposite of that shown in the Figures. Because an electrical connection is established when the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 and the second reinforcing metal fitting 951 come into contact with each other, the board connecting portion 856 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 is connected to the power line of the first circuit board, the board connecting portion 956 of the second reinforcing metal fitting 951 is connected to the power line of the second circuit board, and an electrical connection is established between the power line of the first circuit board and the power line of the second circuit board via the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 and the second reinforcing metal fitting 951.
However, in conventional connectors, the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 and the second reinforcing metal fitting 951 have to be rigid in order to provide reinforcement, and the side engaging pieces 858, the central engaging piece 854, the side engaging pieces 958, and the central engaging piece 954 are not flexible enough compared to the terminals. Therefore, when the electronic device in which the first circuit board and second circuit board are mounted is dropped or subjected to another external shock, and the resulting vibrations and impact are transmitted, the engaging pieces, which are not very flexible and elastically deformable, cannot maintain complete contact between the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 and the second reinforcing metal fitting 951, and sufficient electrical contact cannot be maintained between the power lines. Also, because the contact area between the side engaging recessed portion 858a and the central engaging edge portion 854a of the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 and the side engaging protruding portion 958a and the central engaging protruding portion 954a of the second reinforcing metal fitting 951 is very narrow, the contact resistance between the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 and the second reinforcing metal fitting 951 is greater. As a result, the size of the current flowing between the power lines of the first circuit board and the power lines of the second circuit board may be restricted.